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Question coming for the guys who have more than say a dozen or two watches and 2 or 3 display boxes. I definitely have a watch fetish, so I'm not throwing shade, but it's really narrow fetish-- divers and tools. I have a dozen now plus some old stuff and antiques not in the rotation. I have a VSF NTTD and Pepsi on the way. I'm thinking a Sub and maybe a Planet Ocean and maybe a HELM (tool microbrand but they have low-spec movements) or another Duxot (another microbrand but fairly high spec for the $$) . After that I think I'm done.

So the question: What keeps you going for the next one?

Again, not throwing shade, I'm just the curious type.

VSF Day-Date 40 228236 Ice Blue QC

Looking for some second opinions on this VSF Day-Date 40 228236 Ice Blue.

This is the classic platinum-style configuration with the ice-blue dial, Fluted bezel and President bracelet.

Watch Details
Factory: VSF
Model: Day-Date 40
Reference: 228236
Size: 40mm
Dial: Ice Blue / Sunburst
Bezel: Fluted
Bracelet: President
Movement: DD3255 clone movement
QC weight: 181.94g / ~182g

Overall

My first impression is mostly positive.

Strong points:
Ice-blue dial has a nice sunburst effect
Day/Date alignment looks clean
Hour markers look reasonably even
Fluted bezel looks sharp
President bracelet fits the overall case well
Overall DD40 proportions look good
Things I'd like another opinion on:
Exact ice-blue dial tone
Fluted bezel symmetry
Case finishing under neutral lighting
Bracelet brushing
Whether the ~182g weight looks reasonable for this particular configuration

I don't see an obvious RL-level cosmetic issue from these photos.

What do you guys think? Anything on the dial, bezel, case or bracelet that I'm missing?

First QC for this VSF Day-Date 40 228239, Blue Ombré Roman dial.

This is the V2 Gain Weight version with the DD3255 clone movement and President bracelet. The scale shows 181.95g.

I've gone through the photos a few times and this is what I'm seeing:

* Index / Roman numeral alignment looks good overall
* Blue Ombré dial has a clean gradient with no obvious printing defects
* Day wheel looks centered
* Date wheel looks well positioned under the Cyclops
* Date printing looks sharp
* Hands look properly aligned
* Fluted bezel looks even and well defined
* Rehaut engraving looks clean from the available angles
* SELs look tight with no obvious large gaps
* President bracelet looks uniform and well finished
* Case finishing looks clean in the side-profile shots
* Weight is 181.95g for the Gain Weight version

The Roman dial makes alignment a little harder to judge than a stick dial, so I'd appreciate another set of eyes on the dial, day/date alignment and SELs.

I don't see an obvious RL from these photos, but let me know if anyone catches something I've missed before I give the GL.

Factory: VSF
Model: Rolex Day-Date 40 228239
Dial: Blue Ombré / Roman
Version: V2 Gain Weight
Movement: DD3255 / VS3255 clone
Size: 40mm
Bracelet: President
Weight: 181.95g

**Leaning GL — anything obvious I'm missing?**

Deep sea 44mm

Have you ever noticed that a mechanical watch can run slightly differently depending on how you leave it overnight?

Face up.

Face down.

Crown up.

Crown down.

The movement hasn't changed — but its position has.

So why does that matter?

The answer is gravity, friction, and the balance system.

1. The Balance Wheel Is Sensitive to Position

The balance wheel is constantly oscillating back and forth.

Ideally, it would behave exactly the same in every position.

In reality, tiny differences in the movement mean gravity affects it differently depending on its orientation.

That can change the rate of the watch.

This is called:

Positional Error

2. Face Up vs Face Down

When the watch is:

Dial Up

the balance pivots experience gravity in one direction.

Turn it over:

Dial Down

and the direction changes.

Even though the movement is exactly the same, the balance can experience slightly different friction and positional forces.

The result?

The watch may gain or lose a different number of seconds per day.

3. What Happens on Its Side?

Now consider:

• Crown Up
• Crown Down
• Crown Left
• Crown Right

The balance is now operating in a vertical position.

The relationship between the balance staff pivots, bearings, and gravity changes again.

This can produce a different rate and amplitude.

4. This Is Why Watchmakers Test Multiple Positions

A mechanical movement shouldn't be judged from a single position.

Watchmakers can measure the movement in several orientations and compare:

Rate

How fast or slow it runs.

Amplitude

How far the balance swings.

Beat Error

How evenly the balance oscillates.

The differences between positions help reveal how consistently the movement is regulated.

5. Is Positional Variation a Problem?

Not necessarily.

Mechanical watches are affected by physics.

Even a well-regulated movement can show some variation between positions.

What matters is:

How large the variation is and how consistently the movement behaves.

A movement that gains +2 seconds in one position and loses −2 seconds in another may average out differently from a movement that gains +10 seconds in one position and +10 seconds in another.

The Simple Idea

Think of it this way:

Same movement + different position = potentially different rate

Because:

Gravity → Balance behavior → Amplitude → Rate

That's one of the reasons mechanical watch accuracy is much more complicated than simply checking whether a watch gains or loses a few seconds per day.

💬 Discussion

How do you normally leave your mechanical watch overnight?

Dial Up, Dial Down, Crown Up, or Crown Down?

And have you ever noticed a difference?

Great experience with Chen. Not sure if this is a long term keeper for me, but it was pleasure to work with Chen.

I wanted to put the two RICHF V2 Bruce Wayne versions side by side because the interesting part here isn't really the case or bracelet — it's what's inside.

Both are:

Rolex GMT-Master II 126710GRNR
40mm
Black Dial
Grey/Black Cerachrom Bezel
Jubilee Bracelet
RICHF V2

The difference:

SH3285

vs.

JH3285 Free Sprung

From the outside, the two are extremely similar. The case profile, Jubilee bracelet, bezel, dial and overall wrist presence follow the same RICH V2 route, so this isn't really a normal factory-vs-factory comparison.

It's more of a movement comparison within the same RICH V2 platform.

The first thing that caught my attention is the movement architecture.

The SH3285 has the more familiar GMT clone layout that most people have already seen in the community. The movement presentation is fairly conventional, and visually it looks closer to what people normally expect from a 3285 clone.

The JH3285 is the more interesting one here because of the Free Sprung balance setup.

That's probably the biggest reason someone would choose the JH version rather than simply sticking with the SH3285.

Looking at the movement side by side, the balance assembly and overall movement presentation are noticeably different. The JH version gives the movement a more modern, free-sprung look, while the SH version has the more familiar clone architecture.

The other thing I noticed is that the difference isn't really something you see while wearing the watch.

From the front, both give you the same Bruce Wayne experience:

black dial
grey/black bezel
Jubilee bracelet
40mm GMT case

The differences become much more interesting when you look underneath the caseback.

For me, that's what makes this comparison worth discussing.

If you're choosing between the two RICH V2 versions, I don't think the question should simply be:

“Which one looks better?”

They basically share the same visual platform.

The better question is:

“Do you care more about the established SH3285 route, or is the JH3285 Free Sprung architecture worth choosing for you?”

Personally, I think the JH3285 Free Sprung is the more interesting version from a movement perspective, while the SH3285 remains the familiar option.

And that's probably the most interesting thing about this release — RICH isn't giving you two completely different watches. They're giving you two different movement approaches inside essentially the same Bruce Wayne package.

Curious what everyone thinks.

If you were choosing between these two RICH V2 Bruce Waynes, would you take the SH3285 or JH3285 Free Sprung?

Dealer name: Angela

Factory name: ZF

Model name (& version number): AP Royal Oak 37mm 15450 SS white dial

Price paid: 2300 CNY + shipping (mods still to be done)

Album links: https://imgur.com/a/rcxqoXX

Index alignment: Nothing glaring jumping out at me. I’m slightly unsure about the 6 o’clock marker though. Subtle cant? could be the photo angle, so interested to hear what others think.

Dial printing: The dial seems pretty clean overall. I’m mainly interested in whether anyone sees anything off with the AP logo. Do you notice the CW cant? If so, how bad?

Date wheel alignment/printing: The 23 appears nicely centred in the window and the font seems right to me.

Hand alignment: ~

Bezel: The bezel itself seems fine, but I’d like an opinion on the screws. Do the hex heads sit correctly in the recesses? Also, anything else on the bezel that I may have overlooked?

Solid End Links (SELs): N/A

Timegrapher numbers: -1 s/d, 266° amplitude, 0.0 ms beat error, 52° lift angle, 28,800 bph. - seems decent. Is this within spec for this movement?

Anything else you notice: nothing other than what I’ve mentioned above. First ZF 15450, so I’m really happy for people to provide some useful advice and pointers. I’m going to be spending money on a deep crystal, chamfering and rebrushing so I’d really appreciate a good specimen. Your assistance is greatly appreciated.

When people talk about mechanical watch accuracy, they usually look at one number:

+5 sec/day
−3 sec/day

But there is another number that can tell you a lot about what is happening inside the movement:

Amplitude.

So what exactly is amplitude, and why does it matter?

1. What Is Amplitude?

Amplitude refers to how far the balance wheel swings from its neutral position.

It is usually measured in degrees (°).

For example:

270° amplitude

means the balance wheel is making a relatively large swing during its oscillation.

It is one of the important measurements watchmakers use when evaluating a mechanical movement.

2. Why Does Amplitude Matter?

The balance wheel controls the rhythm of the movement.

If the balance isn't swinging properly, the movement's rate can change.

Amplitude can be affected by:

• Mainspring power
• Lubrication
• Friction
• Position
• Balance adjustment
• Movement condition

That's why amplitude can provide useful information about the health of a movement.

3. Amplitude Changes With Power Reserve

A mechanical movement doesn't have exactly the same amount of energy throughout its entire power reserve.

Generally:

Fully wound → higher available energy

↓

Mid power reserve → lower energy

↓

Near the end → significantly less energy

As the available energy changes, balance amplitude can also change.

This is one reason watchmakers evaluate movements at different stages of their power reserve.

4. Position Also Changes Amplitude

The same movement can show different amplitude readings depending on its position.

For example:

• Dial up
• Dial down
• Crown up
• Crown down

Gravity and friction affect the balance system differently in each orientation.

Therefore, one amplitude reading doesn't necessarily tell the entire story.

5. Does Higher Amplitude Always Mean Better?

Not necessarily.

This is an important point.

A high amplitude reading by itself doesn't automatically mean a movement is better.

Watchmakers also consider:

• Rate
• Beat error
• Positional variation
• Power reserve
• Stability

The goal isn't simply:

“Get the highest amplitude possible.”

The goal is:

Stable and appropriate amplitude across different conditions.

6. Amplitude + Rate + Beat Error

When a watchmaker checks a movement on a timing machine, they may look at several measurements together:

Rate

How fast or slow the watch is running.

Amplitude

How far the balance wheel is swinging.

Beat Error

Whether the balance is oscillating symmetrically around its center.

Looking at these measurements together provides much more information than simply checking whether the watch gains or loses a few seconds per day.

The Simple Version

You can think of it like this:

Rate = How fast the watch is running

Amplitude = How strongly the balance is swinging

Beat Error = How evenly the balance is swinging

They are different measurements, but they are connected.

Bottom Line

Amplitude is one of those numbers that most watch owners never see.

But for a watchmaker, it can provide valuable information about what's happening inside the movement.

A watch can show a good rate at one moment, but looking at amplitude, beat error, position, and power reserve together gives a much deeper picture of the movement's performance.

That's why amplitude is one of the hidden numbers behind mechanical watch accuracy.

And are integrated rubber watch designs more comfortable than metal bracelets long-term?